


Killing Moon

by uv_duv



Series: Hell's Heart [1]
Category: What We Do in the Shadows (TV)
Genre: Angst, Biting, Dubious Consent, Fluff, Love/Hate, M/M, Post Season 2 Finale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-17
Updated: 2020-07-17
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:21:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25338304
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/uv_duv/pseuds/uv_duv
Summary: Guillermo confronts Nandor right after the events of Nouveau Théâtre des Vampires to renegotiate the terms of their relationship. Nandor is predictably stubborn and Guillermo is struggling not to lose his temper. He's not going to let this go."Nandor actually looks terrified. Good. This isn’t how Guillermo wanted this conversation to go, really wasn’t even what he wanted to talk about, but at this point he was so far gone that he couldn’t stop himself. He was in free-fall and had to see this to the end. And it might be his only chance. Nandor wets his lips and swallows before speaking. He genuinely looks like he would rather die, and maybe he would, then say what he’s about to say."
Relationships: Guillermo de la Cruz/Nandor the Relentless, Laszlo Cravensworth/Nadja
Series: Hell's Heart [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1845076
Comments: 24
Kudos: 135





	Killing Moon

Guillermo glares up at the four vampires before making a line straight for Nandor.

_ Guillermo cups Nandor’s face in his hand, who flinches at the touch. Guillermo forces the contact, angling Nandor’s chin to bring them eye to eye. In a gravelly voice he says, "I want a promotion." _

No, Nandor could tear at his hand or bite the arteries in his wrist. 

_ Guillermo trails the stake up Nandor’s inner thigh to center over his heart. He says cooly, "Tell me why I shouldn’t leave you out to dry." _

Or maybe...

_ Guillermo lifts the sole of his boot to crush Nandor’s balls... _

_ Okay, no, no, _ Guillermo thinks to himself, shaking his head as if to banish the thoughts. He dashes up onto the stage and undoes Nandor’s binds, muttering, "We need to talk." Nandor wrenches his arm away from Guillermo’s tangential touch and spits, "I should say!" wrestling with the binding on his other arm before Guillermo pushes his hand away and unties it himself. Nandor stands up quickly, looming over Guillermo imperiously. Guillermo tightens his grip around a fresh stake on his bandolier, a small movement that Nandor heeds, taking a half-step backwards. Guillermo takes a breath, sheathes the stake, and gestures to the other three saying, "Please help me untie them," as evenly as he can.

Nandor bristles, "Oh, so you think you can start ordering me around, because you are some kind of, vampire killing, big dick cool guy now?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

The other three all shrug, as if to say, "Fair enough."

\-----

They had at most an hour to pile into the van and haul ass out of Staten Island. It had taken a drawn out argument to convince them to leave, but once Guillermo pointed out that the Vampiric Council could just burn the house down there wasn’t much more to say. Colin Robinson had packed a sensible carry-on bag and was lurking in the foyer when he heard Lazlo and Nadja start screaming at each other upstairs. Guillermo was rehearsing what he would say when he saw Colin Robinson slinking up towards the din, no doubt to feed on their marital strife, and left him to it.  Guillermo has no idea how this will go, but he squares his shoulders and opens the door to Nandor's room. Things had to change and there isn’t a lot of time.

Nandor is sitting on the chaise with his elbows propped on his knees, his face slack. He looks up as Guillermo walks in and closes the door behind him. Something behind his eyes suggests that he’s finally, really looking at Guillermo. Taking him in. Maybe realizing that he doesn't know him at all. The flash of vulnerability vanishes in an instant. Guillermo folds his hands in front of himself and starts to say, “I want--”, but Nandor comes to his feet and interrupts with, "What a shitshow! A total embarrassment.”

Guillermo smiles, assuming that Nandor means the play and the bungled attempt on their lives, but his face falters as Nandor keeps talking. “A familiar rescuing his master. Yeurgh."  _ Of course.  _ Whatever brief joy Guillermo felt completely evaporates.

"I'm not your familiar anymore." Guillermo’s voice hangs like a dead weight in the crypt. Their eyes are locked. 

"Whatever,” Nandor says after a pause, with a dismissive wave of his hand, “So why come back then? For the thrill of leaving me for a third time?" he asks. There's undeniable venom behind the questions.

"I came back for you. You know that. But things have to change," Guillermo says, willing his voice not to waver.  _ Stick to the script. _ Nandor still doesn’t move, looking at some point beyond Guillermo. He appears lost in thought. Probably calculating how he can wear him down, how he can drag them back to the way things were.  _ I just can’t do that anymore. _ Guillermo begins to speak again. “Listen--”

"I'm not ready to turn you, Guillermo," he says quietly, his eyes downcast. There’s a tinge of sadness to his voice. This surprises Guillermo, he didn't anticipate Nandor interpreting his return in such a transactional way.  _ I save your life, you owe me eternal life. Is that really what he thought?  _ Guillermo sighs and steps closer to Nandor.  _ This wasn’t exactly the plan. _

"I don't think I want that anymore,” Nandor is equally surprised by this statement. Guillermo continues, “But Nandor..." The vampire narrows his eyes at Guillermo in obvious disapproval of using his name, but says nothing. "...Why?"

The question clearly irritates Nandor. "Why what? Say what you mean." 

Guillermo takes another step closer, shrinking the distance between them, at least physically. He is within arms reach now. Thinking about what he’s going to say, the script he had rehearsed completely disintegrates and he feels a flood of emotions welling up, threatening to overflow entirely. He balls his hands into fists at his sides. 

"Okay, then. What is holding you back from turning me? For the last ten years, I’ve been doing your laundry, cleaning your house, burying your bodies. I’ve killed for you!" Guillermo exclaims. Deep down, in an ugly part of himself, he wanted to throttle Nandor and recount every single way in which Nandor had tortured him in exacting detail. Demand some kind of justice that he knew he would never get. "Why won't you make me a vampire? Is this really not enough?" he gestures around himself. Guillermo struggles to keep an even composure, neither yelling nor crying, while desperately wanting to do both.  _ Am I still not enough?  _ He clenches his teeth to hold back the question.

Nandor continues to evade eye contact. "It's not a matter of time or toil or enough. It's… There's…" He rolls his head, motioning with his hands, saying, "You know... reasons!"

_ At least look at me!  _

"No, I don’t know the reasons. Tell me why," Guillermo says, his tone getting sharper and sharper. The air almost feels thicker.  _ After everything I’ve done for you... _

Nandor shakes his head and snorts, "I don’t have to tell you anything. Come, pack my things so we can leave. I'll get the taxi-derbied bear, I know it's too heavy for your scrawny arms."

Nandor begins to walk out, but to his own surprise, Guillermo turns around and pushes Nandor back against the coffin. Guillermo grips his collar with bloodstained fists and pins Nandor there with his strange and newfound strength, every instinct imploring him to drive a stake through the dumb bastard's heart. The crushing weight of a decade of servitude, of endless chores with rare scraps of appreciation, usually coerced anyway, the unacknowledged sacrifices and the daily degradations and total lack of respect plays through Guillermo’s mind and he thinks for a second that he might actually do it.

_ Holy shit.  _ Guillermo suddenly realizes he’s holding a stake. Directly above his former master’s chest. Nandor's wide eyes are transfixed by Guillermo; he doesn’t move an inch. Guillermo is hyper aware of his own shallow breathing, his taut muscles, the overall sensation of being a tensed cobra, eyes unwavering on his trapped prey. His stake sinking into flesh like twin fangs... Maybe that would break through to Nandor’s heart. __

Finally, Guillermo returns to himself. He throws the stake away, overcome with revulsion when it pierces a portrait of Nandor again. The crypt is completely silent for a few moments. 

"I-- I-- don't.. I didn't--" Guillermo chokes on his own words.  _ What can I possibly say?  _ He shudders. 

"Please... just tell me... Please, please just be honest with me and tell me why you kept me for ten years," Guillermo walks a fine line between demanding and begging. His voice is hoarse, exhausted, and betrays years of pent up rage at the edges.  _ Why did this happen to me?  _ he thinks, placing his forehead against Nandor's chest for a second before thinking better of it. 

Nandor blinks, almost as if he was waking from a nightmare. Guillermo notices his body relax beneath him, probably in relief that Guillermo didn't stake him after all. Nandor's nostrils flare and his mouth drops open a little. It was similar to the incident with Jeremy at the party store.  _ Is he… is he smelling me? _ Guillermo wonders, with surprise and a little thrill. His heart rate certainly speeds up at the thought. However, the expression behind Nandor's half-closed eyes is unclear to Guillermo, perhaps sadness, or a kind of resignation? Fear?  _ But maybe…  _

The spell breaks. Nandor averts his gaze again and speaks slowly. "Because--because I didn’t have to, so I didn’t. Because you are a good familiar. It’s a lot of work, finding a half-decent one. Shouldn't we be going now?” he squirms beneath Guillermo.

_ You aren’t getting out of this that easily.  _ Guillermo frowns. He also noticed that Nandor said good familiar and not great, which irritated him more than he was willing to admit. “Nadja and Laszlo seem to find new ones all the time. I think you’re lying.”

Nandor takes a huge shuddering breath that reverberates underneath Guillermo and exhales, puffing his cheeks out. He drops his head back against the coffin lid, closing his eyes for an instant, seeming to search for the words. Guillermo feels like a strained rope an instant from snapping.  _ Just say it. _

“I also... care... about you,” Nandor nearly dry heaves with each word.

Guillermo wants to scream. This was approaching the disaster of the glitter portrait; so much work for almost nothing. He knew, he knew that Nandor felt something for him,  _ He has to, there were so many moments… And that damn portrait. Why WOULD you work so hard on a glitter portrait? _ He pulls off of Nandor, pacing in an agitated circle like a caged but still feral tiger.  _ Why was the bare minimum, the bare fucking minimum, so hard for you to stutter out? Are you embarrassed by me? And why am I even trying? It’s been ten--eleven years, what did I honestly think would--  _ His thoughts are cut-off when he sees Nandor trying to hover away quietly but sweeping some jewelry to the floor with his cape. 

“Oh, fuck,” Nandor freezes in midair. 

“Y-yeah?” Guillermo stammers, lunging forward too fast even for Nandor, grabbing his cape, and yanking him to the ground. Nandor’s attempt to sneak away sparked irrepressible licking flames of manic energy, a maelstrom that Guillermo was in no way equipped or motivated to repress. Guillermo grasps his red cape in a vice-like grip, watching Nandor crawl in place without actually going anywhere. Guillermo reels Nandor in, forcing him to scrabble to his hands and knees, and then turns Nandor around to face him. The cape is twisted in Guillermo’s strong arms.

“If you want to leave this room together, tell me the truth,” Guillermo implores.

Nandor actually looks terrified.  _ Good. _ This isn’t how Guillermo wanted this conversation to go, really wasn’t even what he wanted to talk about, but at this point he was so far gone that he couldn’t stop himself. He was in free-fall and had to see this to the end. And it might be his only chance. Nandor wets his lips and swallows before speaking. He genuinely looks like he would rather die,  _ and maybe he would,  _ then say what he’s about to say.

“You’re…” 

_ The love of my life? _

“...my favorite familiar. I don’t want to lose you.”

Guillermo’s mind is whirling despair and fury, a washing machine with a brick in it.

_ That’s it? That’s IT? _

Apparently he actually said that thought out loud. Nandor somehow turns even paler. He meets Guillermo’s eyes with such abject misery that it only makes Guillermo angrier.  _ How could this be so hard? _

Nandor hunches in on himself. His voice is barely above a whisper. “Guillermo. It’s hard to say.”

“Enduring a decade with you was harder,” Guillermo responds with zero sympathy. “Give me this.”

Nandor sighs and places his hands on his thighs, maybe to steady himself. “Everyone I’ve ever turned has left.” He looks at Guillermo with tired eyes, silently begging him to accept this, as though he had said enough.  _ That’s not nearly enough. _ Guillermo doesn’t break. There’s a flash of anger but Nandor continues.

“Even if… even if you stayed, there are still many human experiences you haven’t had. Being a vampire, there are a lot of sacrifices. You should do more living, first.”  _ Oh, so it’s my fault? _

“That’d be a lot easier if you didn’t treat me like shit.”

Nandor sits up fully, which pulls Guillermo closer to him, and regards Guillermo from his downward gaze. “I suppose. I am trying to do better by you, but you don’t always make it easy, you know,” he says petulantly. Guillermo recognizes the taunt and doesn't take the bait. He sits up on his knees, tugs back on the cape, bringing Nandor’s face close to his and back to even eye level.

“What else?”

“That is the end, the up and down of it. The whole ensalada,” Nandor looks puzzled. His eyes are darting to look at each of Guillermo’s eyes in turn, searching for something.

“...What makes you think there is an else?” 

\---

There’s a pause.

\---

Guillermo's mind buzzes incoherently like television static, trying to process too many contradictory inputs from too many incidents. A sprawling array of black and white dots. Intense and all consuming love and hate braided together on the same rope that bound them together, that hung around Guillermo's neck. That got tighter every year.

_ I fucking hate you. I fucking hate that I love you. I fucking love you. _

Guillermo crushes Nandor's mouth with his, drawing a surprised noise from Nandor.  _ Maybe this is a language you'll understand.  _ Guillermo climbs on top of him, pressing him into the floor, his trenchcoat draping over him, like a deep wave crashing slowly. He wants to tear Nandor's vest off, bury himself in the thick field of chest hair that he knows is underneath, maybe somehow keep burrowing inside his chest cavity to his heart. To finally crack open its thick shell and see exactly what dribbles out. He contents himself with pawing at Nandor’s broad chest, feeling the texture of the rich brocade fabric he usually folds for him, inhaling the smell of the oils he usually brushes into his hair, luxuriates in the tickle of his lips brushing over Nandor's beard he usually wipes blood off of; he could drown in the sensory overload. Guillermo realizes with some embarrassment that he must smell terrible. Sweat, dried blood, death… 

He screws his eyes shut and his hands grip Nandor’s long dark hair, pulling harder than he means to but then not relenting. He had never done this before with anyone and now he's acting out a role reversal of his own deepest fantasies… It doesn’t take long for his cock to pulse as hard as his heart. In his many years trying and failing to manage his attraction to Nandor, Guillermo had never imagined himself as the instigator. Had never imagined that he would do something so impulsive. Sure enough, in the moment Guillermo's inhibitions, repressions, rationalizations are dragged down by the undertow of his own cavernous need for Nandor. That same need that was pinning his former master underneath him on the floor of his own room, pulling his hair, kissing him unforgivingly, grinding into him with his aching cock, wanting so, so much more. It's wonderful agony.

His attraction to Nandor had taken root the moment he first saw him, but initially he wasn’t sure if he wanted to fuck Nandor or be him. In the intervening decade plus, that dark sprout had grown, keeping Guillermo tethered to Nandor with spreading black tendrils despite his constant insults and mistreatment and now it was completely, hopelessly overgrown, overwhelming him, compelling him to--

Guillermo hesitates, beginning to push away from Nandor, but Nandor's mouth softens and that, and a small moan and a hand on Guillermo’s back, is enough. He hungrily pries Nandor’s lips apart further with his own hot tongue. It gets sliced immediately by one of Nandor's fangs; without even thinking Guillermo drags his bleeding tongue across Nandor's bottom lip. The groan that comes from Nandor is unreal. Guillermo's thoughts are a chaotic inferno of disbelief and unfathomable lust. Nandor nails scrape across his scalp and he feels like he’s being lit on fire. Guillermo pulls back and bites Nandor's bottom lip hard enough to draw blood, which elicits a deep rumbling moan from Nandor that spikes Guillermo with pure euphoria. The taste is acrid, burns like battery acid, but Guillermo doesn't stop and he urges Nandor's legs apart with his thigh. Nandor's hard too now; Guillermo grinds his erection against Nandor's cock and the friction through layers of clothing is equal parts delightful and not nearly enough. Guillermo is consumed by thoughts of everything he wants to do to Nandor, things he wants Nandor to do to him.  _ I'll make you beg, make you beg for me to-- _

Nandor's hands snake up under his sweater, under his shirt, under his undershirt, all of his layers to find purchase on his hips and pull him even closer. At his cold touch on his bare skin, Guillermo shivers. He breaks the bloody kiss, taking several panting breaths and gazing into Nandor's beautiful dark hooded eyes before collapsing back into attacking Nandor's crimson mouth with his own, rutting against him with increasing urgency. Nandor nips his lips back, his tongue swiping and probing for Guillermo’s blood. Guillermo knew the taste was unforgettable, from Nandor’s own admission. Nandor’s hands cut into the flesh of his back, a delicious surge of sharp pain. He could die here. 

Suddenly, Nandor heaves Guillermo into the wall, hard enough to knock down a painting. Guillermo is winded and shocked, but up on his feet and truly aware of just how dangerous that was, this is. He curls his fingers around the silver crucifix in his trenchcoat pocket but doesn't move. Nandor stands and snarls at him, his own blood mixed with Guillermo's dripping from his torn lips, his red brocade vest and cape covered in blood smears transferred from Guillermo, his hair completely undone with strands falling across his face. His eyes are pure black fire and he rushes towards Guillermo, hissing with his hands grasping for Guillermo's head.

It would be completely terrifying to anyone else but Guillermo rolls his eyes and chuckles darkly. "That's really your move? Fucking, Dracula hands? Christ..." Guillermo rubs the bridge of his nose in exasperation.

Nandor hisses at the last word but pushes Guillermo against the wall roughly. He wrenches Guillermo’s head sideways, one hand on his shoulder and the other gripping his hair. He traces his sharp teeth against Guillermo's neck, a cold line from his clavicle to his jaw. Guillermo feels his face heating up, as if he wasn't already dripping sweat and sandwiched between a wall and a hulking vampire with matching erections.  _ Are you trying to intimidate me or turn me on even more…? _

Nandor growls low into his ear, "You should be more careful, Guillermo," practically purring his name, "I could kill you, easily."

_...Jury's still out.  _

"I know you won't. I don't want to kill you, but sometimes.." Guillermo trails off, glaring at Nandor while debating if he should jam the crucifix in Nandor's hand or his face.

"Sometimes? Sometimes you want to kill me?!" Nandor says, furrowing his eyebrows and sounding genuinely hurt.  _ What? _

"No! Sometimes I don't know if I want to hurt you or fuck you." 

Nandor flashes his fangs at Guillermo before diving back for his jugular, but Guillermo whips the crucifix in front of Nandor's face, forcing him to tumble backwards over his own coffin with his cape fluttering around him like the wings of a large red bird. He tightens the silver necklace around his neck, like a choker, just in case. In the hopes of de-escalating the situation, he steps towards Nandor and shuffles off the trenchcoat with its assortment of stakes and crucifixes clattering to the ground in a muffled heap.

"You just... frustrate me. I'm sorry. We can talk about this more later." Intense regret washes over him. Whatever that was would probably never happen again.

_ Please forgive me.  _ He offers both hands to Nandor to help him up, but he pushes Guillermo over to the ground with an angry grunt. The action incenses Guillermo, makes him almost see red. He is keenly aware that he is situated in the center of the crescent formed by his crumpled blood-stained coat full of weapons. That Nandor was confusing and completely impossible. That his heart is thumping so loud with the blood that both advertised his virginity and branded him a slayer. His head is pounding and he can’t quite make sense of the dueling feelings of anger and shame and desire and total loss of control he just exhibited. This was just. A Lot.

He runs a blood caked hand through his hair and hears hysterical laughing. It takes a second to realize that it's his own. Tears threaten at the corners of his eyes, but he holds them back. He’s had years of practice, after all.

Nandor leans forward, his hair framing his face like a black veil. He detangles himself from his own cape, letting it fan around him. His lips are still bloody. Guillermo touches a finger to his lips and realizes his are still scarlet as well.

"Fucking maniac! You should really ask before you just kiss someone out of nowhere, no warning, and then mauling their mouth like a horny bear. Very rude, Guillermo. Stop laughing!"

Guillermo laughs harder. The full absurdity of him and Nandor was hitting all at once. The sheer hilarity of such a mismatched pair that so often couldn't stand each other and yet couldn't live without each other. 

"I can't…" Guillermo shakes with uncontrollable hysterical laughter, "I hate that... I genuinely can’t believe that I have loved you for, for... fuck, a decade... and now like... this isn't even what I wanted to talk about, but fuck it! This is all so stupid," Guillermo is crying with laughter, "I love you Nandor, I fucking love you, it's horrible and I wish I didn't but I do."

Guillermo takes a huge sucking breath in, quelling the laughter, and looks Nandor right in the eyes, close enough to smack him. "If you weren't a coward you'd admit it too," he laughs bitterly. __

"I am Nandor the Relentless, not a coward! I fear nothing! Certainly not you and your messy feelings," Nandor bellows, poking Guillermo in the chest.  _ That is the most outrageous lie you've ever told. _

"Prove it."

Nandor heaves himself on top of Guillermo, bracing against his shoulders. He can’t seem to bear getting much closer on account of the crucifix choker. 

"I did not understand what happened to me when you left me the first time. When I found your note again I wanted to die. I would normally kill anyone who threatened my life… but I would be lying if I said I wasn't aware of something between us.” He paused, there’s something Guillermo can’t discern behind his eyes. “...It would have been wrong of me to encourage that. But… You have changed so quickly from what you once were." Nandor’s face relaxes into complete, unguarded affection for Guillermo. He sits back, freeing Guillermo’s shoulders, and caresses a lock of Guillermo’s hair above his ear, despite the sizzling sound on his forearm. Guillermo actually blushes at this small touch. Nandor shifts over and lays next to Guillermo on the floor. 

"I forgive you for leaving me and forbid you from doing it ever again." Guillermo snorts and softly says, “Okay,” placing his hand on top of Nandor’s. Guillermo and Nandor lay there for a moment, Guillermo's mind racing. "Where do we go from here?" Guillermo asks.

"Pennsylvania," Nandor says resolutely, sitting up with his hands in his lap. Guillermo closes his eyes and smiles in that disbelieving way, that reminded him why he loved Nandor, that Nandor was so charmingly simple that he took the question literally.  _ Sure. Pennsylvania. Why not? _

"You really should help me pack," Nandor states, more gently this time. "Please."

"Also you'll need to fix my hair and wipe my mouth because I don't want to explain this to the others."

**Author's Note:**

> Second fic ever. Who knew that comments came with such an adrenaline rush? Thank you for reading!
> 
> My interpretation of Guillermo's Van Helsing heritage is that now that he's discovered it and nurtured it, he has a natural ability to cancel out and match the supernatural strength of vampires. 
> 
> Also I tried out writing this in present tense, so it's possible things are a bit wonky in places.
> 
> By the way, if you haven't listened to The Killing Moon by Echo & the Bunnymen, give it a whirl.


End file.
